Kraljevski Apartman

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Kraljevski Apartman
Origin	Novi Sad, Serbia
Genre(s)	Hard Rock Heavy Metal Speed Metal
Years active	1995 – present
Label(s)	Rock Express Records, PGP RTS
Associated acts	Lotke & Lavirint Vatreni Poljubac Generacija 5
Website	www.kraljevski-apartman.com
Members
Zoran Zdravković Zoran Radovanović Marko Nikolić Miloš Nikolić Ivan Djerković
Former members
Zoran Lalović Zoran Rončević Duždević Srđan Čačija Igor Miroslav Šen

Kraljevski Apartman (Serbian Cyrillic: Краљевски Апартман; trans. Royal Apartment) is a Serbian heavy metal band.

1 Apartman 69
2 Kraljevski Apartman
3 Discography
- 3.1 as Apartman 69
- 3.2 as Kraljevski Apartman
4 External links
5 See also

[edit] Apartman 69

The band's history begins in 1979 when Zoran Zdravković after playing in minor bands Exodus, Zvučni zid, Bicikl and Tvrdo srce i velike uši formed a band called Apartman 69. The band recorded only one album Seti se moje pesme (Remember my song) in 1983. The lineup which recorded the album consisted of Dragan Blažić (vocals), Zoran Zdravković (guitar), Dejan Mihajlović (keyboards, backing vocals), Milan Mastelica (bass, backing vocals) and Jovan Simonović (drums). One of the band's lineups also included Zvonimir Đukić, today's frontman of the famous Serbian rock band Van Gogh on rhythm guitar and Vlada Dokić, drummer of the Serbian rock band Rok Mašina. After the release of the album, and due to the great popularity of New Wave bands, Apartman 69 ceased to exist.

[edit] Kraljevski Apartman

After 13 years Zdravković, with the support of Bora Đorđević of Riblja Čorba, decides to try again and with Zoran Lalović (vocals) forming a band called Kraljevski Apartman in 1995. The first lineup of the band soon after had split because the members did not take the band seriously and the new lineup consisted of Lalović (vocals), Zdravković (guitar) with Zoran Rončević(drums) and Čačija Igor (bass). Miroslav Milatović from the band Riblja Čorba was to be the bass guitarist of the band, but eventually refused. This lineup recorded the first band's album called Long Live Rock 'n' Roll for Rock Express Records. The title track of the album is a cover version of a Rainbow hit with the same title. The album included eight songs and the most notables are "Mracan grad", "Ne verujem u lazne andjele", "Misterija" and "Oprosti mi". Promotional video was recorded for the song "Misterija". Zdravković mostly provided the lyrics and music. Even though it was well received by fans and critics, this album shows bad sound production, which is a false of their later albums. The band performed as a support act for Riblja Čorba, and presented the album to the audience all over Serbia. In 1999, Rončević left the band and the lineup included a new drummer Duždević Srđan and rhythm guitar Miroslav Šen. This lineup recorded the second album called "Izgubljen u vremenu" (Lost in time). This album, like the previous one, was released by Rock Express Records in 2000. The sound is a bit heavier with classics like "Izgubljen u vremenu", "Slomljeno srce", "Nikad se ne predajem", "Ne traži đavola" and "Posle oluje (javi se...)". The album also included the cover of Uriah Heep's classic "Lady in Black" called "Slike". The CD edition of the album included four songs from Long Live Rock 'n' Roll album ("Ne verujem u lazne andjele", "Misterija", "Mracan grad" and "Live Rock 'n' Roll"). All lyrics were written by Zdravković except for "Jesen" provided by Lalović and "Znak Zveri" by Riblja Čorba's drummer Vicko Milatović. There is a promotional video recorded for the song "Posle Oluje". The year 2002. was very important for Kraljevski Apratman. After appearing on Hard 'n' Heavy Festival as a headliner, numerous appearances on festivals and on their own the band enters the studio "Paradoks" to record demos for the following record. For the recording of the third album, the band changed the lineup because Šen, Duždević and Čačija left the band. The new lineup included drummer Zoran Rončević who recorded the first album with the band, bass guitarist Marko Nikolić (who had previously played with Vatreni Poljubac) and Dejan Đorđević on keyboards. Final versions of tracks were recorded at "Fokus" studio with the producer Aleksandra Tokovića - Toka. For Rocker (released in 2002. by Rock Express Records), the band added a keyboard player and switched to only one guitar making the band's sound more melodic. The album featured fast and hard & heavy songs "Ranjena zver" and "Rocker" (a promotional video is recorded for the former), ballads "Za ljubav ne treba da moliš" and "Dama iz kraljevskog apartmana" who became audience songs in concert and song from the Lavirint (Labyrinth) movie soundtrack "U lavirintu sedam greha" (bonus on CD edition). The album also features the song "Niemandsland" with lyrics in German and sang by Zdravković. All lyrics were provided by Zdravković. After the success of Rocker, the band became well known in Russia, Denmark, Netherlands and the albums distributed in about twenty countries from Japan, Russia to Mexico. For the first time since in the band's history, the same lineup records two albums. Ruka Pravde (Hand of justice), the fourth and final studio album was released in 2004. This time for PGP-RTS records (the same record company who turned them down seven years ago). This album is certainly one of the bands finest works. Songs like "Ruka pravde", "Dao sam sve od sebe", "Izaberi jedan put" and ballads "Sve u svoje vreme" and "Sve su noci iste" were broadcasted on radio stations. The video for "Ruka pravde" was broadcasted on national television and Balkanmedia television which covers the area of all former Yugoslav republics. The themes found in songs are like on the previous albums, simple hard & heavy songs, love songs and mystical melodies provided by Đorđević's keyboards. The band presented the album while touring with Belgrade's Radio 202 live show Hit 202. They were also a support act for Deep Purple's concert in Belgrade. In 2005 the band entered it's first decade of existence and on the 10th birthay a recording of a live DVD and album were scheduled. The DVD was recorded live in Belgrade's SKC and released under the title 10 Godina sa vama - Live SKC (10 years with you - Live SKC). The DVD also includes interviews with the band members and other people connected to the band and videos for "Ruka Pravde", "Ranjena Zver" and "Misterija". The soundtrack of the DVD featuring selected tracks form the concert was released as The Best Of Live (1995-2005). After the release of The Best Of Live, the band played various dates including opening for Whitesnake on Belgrade's Tašmajdan. This was the last concert with the keyboard player Dejan Đorđević. Following Đorđević's departure, Zoran Rončević also leaft the band. He was replaced by Zoran Radovanović who played with the band Generacija 5. After performing as a four-part band, Miloš Nikolić, Marko Nikolić's brother, stepped in on rhythm guitar. This lineup started writing new material and recorded demos for several tracks. One of them, "Čuvar tajni", appeared as a radio promo single. On August 17th, 2007 the band played at Belgrade's Beerfest which was officially the last show with vocalist Zoran Lalović Lotke who left the band. His replacement and the current Kraljevski Apartman vocalist is Which 1 frontman Ivan Đerković(not listed as a full member on the band's website). A new album called "Čuvar tajni" ("The Keeper of Secrets") is now awaiting for its release through PGP RTS Records. The band recorded nine new songs and made a new version of the track "Jesen" ("Autumn"), which originally appeared on the band's second album. A poromotional video was recorded for the track "Čarobni štap" ("Magic Stick") Lalović formed his own band and after months of performing as The Untitled Band, the band got the name Lotke & Lavirint (Lotke & The Labyrinth) performing songs by Kraljevski Apartman. The drummer of Lavirint is Rončević, former Kraljevski Apartman drummer.